Chapter Forty-Four
Chloe
“Chloe, let go of that this instant!” Clarisse yelled, standing on the other side of the bed with her hands on her hips, as I tugged the corner of a white sheet tucked tightly under the mattress.
I stifled a laugh behind my hand. “At least let me help you!”
The sheets had all been damp this morning, so, Zane must’ve asked her to change them. But I was starting to feel bad watching her doing everything for me when I was perfectly capable of doing it myself.
“You really don’t have to keep doing everything for me, Clarisse. I can clean up and cook for myself, you know.”
“And what would I do then?” Her eyes narrowed, her brows knitting almost offended, “This is my job, Chloe. I take pride in making this place feel like a home every day by taking care of everyone.”
A smile spread across my face. She was such a mom, something I’d never really had before, not like this anyway.
She marched around the bed, her eyes softening as she snatched the sheet out of my hands. “It’s a gorgeous day outside, Chloe. Go get some sun.”
Since offering to help was considered a crime, going outside seemed a decent idea. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d just hung out outside.
As I stepped out, the sun hit my face, its warmth starting to replace the winter chill.
I paused, closing my eyes, letting it soak into my skin.
Then I wandered down the garden path, my feet crunching softly on the gravel as I strolled past Zane’s office window. My heart gave an involuntary lurch.
I had no idea if he was in there, I hadn’t seen him since yesterday but I forced myself to ignore it and kept walking.
Settling under a tree, I leaned back against the trunk, taking in the size of his property.
The garden stretched so far that I couldn’t see the gate from here.
It was also strangely green for this time of year. February days didn’t feel as freezing as the previous months, but it was still winter and nothing seemed affected by winter’s grasp.
Zane must have an army of specialized gardeners to keep this place impeccable all year, although it didn’t seem like something he’d care about, but then again, there was a lot about him I didn’t understand yet.
The silence around me was comfortable, and I could’ve stayed there all day, but just as I was beginning to relax, the sound of a door closing snapped me out of it.
I was expecting to see Clarisse, but to my surprise, it was Zane who turned the corner, walking toward me with long, purposeful strides.
He looked unfairly good in his navy-blue vest and matching suit pants, tailored to fit him like a second skin. The shirt beneath was unbuttoned at the top, revealing a hint of a thin gold necklace resting just above his collarbone.
Without a word, he tossed the jacket he’d been carrying onto the grass beside me.
Then he loomed over me, tall like a tower, adjusting and rolling up his sleeves, making my pulse quicken instantly.
Heat bloomed beneath my skin as I watched him lower himself onto the jacket to sit, legs stretching out, his presence overwhelming without him trying.
“Don’t you have work to do, people to torture or something of that nature?” I asked, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
My voice came out bitterer than I intended but I didn’t want to give him the chance to talk about yesterday. Any of it.
I was worried about Malia. Thinking of ways I could keep everyone safe. Too many things had been bottling up recently, piling on top of me, causing what probably looked like a disproportionate panic attack yesterday. But I couldn’t tell him any of that, could I?
And I was still hurt.
I didn’t want him to look at me, to touch me with the same hands he’d touched Arianna.
I had no right to feel jealous or betrayed when I was doing worse to him, but I couldn’t change the way I felt.
He looked at me amused before answering. “I have people to do all that for me, most of the time.”
I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw my brain.
He leaned back on his elbow, his gaze fixed on a point in the distance.
“You came to my office yesterday because you wanted to tell me something?” he started after a moment, his voice low.
Maybe he was genuinely intrigued but why did it sound like he was just searching for something to talk about?
I looked away, my fingers digging into the grass, trying to distract myself from the discomfort building in my chest.
I wished I could tell him the truth and end this before it could swallow me whole. But I knew he wouldn’t understand. He couldn’t, not when I meant so little to him.
“It wasn’t important,” I said, forcing myself to sound casual.
I could feel Zane’s eyes lingering on me.
He wasn’t happy with my answer, but he chose not to say anything about it.
“Do you like it here?” he asked, changing the subject, nodding toward the garden stretching out before us.
I shrugged, “It’s alright…”